To hear the Cleveland Cavaliers tell it, the folks in Wisconsin only had to turn their clocks back 59 minutes and 59.8 seconds overnight Saturday. Because the Milwaukee Bucks took care of that first tenth-of-a-second or two for them.

After Brandon Jennings‘ buzzer-beater lifted the Bucks to a 105-102 victory at the BMO Harris Bradley Center – and after Cavs coach Byron Scott got a chance to see a couple of replays – Scott felt the timekeeping in Milwaukee was slow on the trigger. He told that to reporters after the game.

“I don’t want to get fined, so I’m not going to say nothing about the clock starting late on the last shot. But they have to figure out a way to do something about that. The bottom line is that either it doesn’t count or you take it out again. They’ve got to figure out a way.

“Looking at it again in the locker room a copule of times, the shot shouldn’t have counted. The clock started too late.”

The situation: Just 0.7 seconds showed on the clock when Milwaukee inbounded the ball, Mike Dunleavy passing to Jennings near the top of the key. Upon review, the Cavs felt Jennings did too much with the ball, from catch to windup to launch, before the clock began its countdown.

NBA rules compel referees to review all such end-of-quarter plays, but what they’re looking for in those circumstances is whether the ball left Jennings’ hands before time ran out. Scott’s point focused on the front end of the play. As in: You can’t know whether your pants are too long unless you know where you have them hitched on your waist. Or something like that.

There’s a little irony in Jennings being the guy who beat the clock because the slender point guard wasn’t able to beat one three days earlier. The NBA’s cutoff for fourth-year players such as Jennings to receive contract extensions passed Wednesday without a deal for him. Since then, he’s been playing as if possessed, with 21 points and 13 assists in a victory over Boston Friday, followed by 13 and 13 against Cleveland.

Did the Bucks mess up? Nope. They decided that Jennings would have to demonstrate some continued progress as their long-term playmaking option. If he plays with a chip on his shoulder all the way into restricted free agency, Milwaukee will be quick either to sign him or match whatever comes his way. That’s the market at work.

Back to the play in question: The view here at the HTB hideout, for what it’s worth, was that there was no discernible delay. Jennings got his shot off quickly and the ball was in the air for the last three or four ticks of the clock, so even a teensy late-start wouldn’t have invalidated the game-winner at the back end.

Also, the clock is wired into electronic packs that the refs wear at their waists. They’ve got the trigger. This isn’t left to home-cookin’ by the arena stats crew.

It would be nice if replay were used on every close play, front and back, with every possible ruling (such as a missed foul call) in play. It might be interesting to see NBA coaches have red flags to throw, like in the NFL, or for the league to have an “eye in the sky” extra ref at every game, notifying the court crew when something needs to be overturned.

But the league isn’t there yet with replays. Scott might well get fined for, ahem, not saying “nothing.” But the Jennings’ shot from out front to decide the game in Milwaukee Saturday? Clean.

i love how scott is saying the loss should be blamed on the person running the clock instead of blaming himself for not calling a better defense of not just doing a better job of coaching throughout the game. Way to try and take the blame off of yourself and pin it on other people Byron! Maybe there is a reason you’ve been fired from coaching positions in the past…

If you like basketball, you have to admit that shot by Brandon was beautiful. To catch, square up, raise up and drain it from 23 feet was kind of like Kobe or MJ. That was a very athletic play and isn’t that one of the reasons we follow NBA basketball?

I dont think that this was the first time something like this has ever happened, and i dont think it will be the last. if its like 0.1 0.2 difference its really hard to tell, and their is no way to make it completely right on the mark. so its bound to happened ALL THE TIME!

looks like the clock started 0.2 seconds late but when jennings had the ball out of his hand with 0.3 seconds left. Even if the clock started on time it will still count. Let’s just say jennings have a very quick release shot.

they didnt start the clock on time but he also got it off with 5 tenths left on the shot clock. if they start it on time he gets it off with 1 or 2 tenths left and the bucks still win anyways. it’s a mute point anyways.

Just like what the HTB people said, there is no discernible delay. If there is a delay, well you expect that everytime since the clock is human-triggered. You can’t get more accurate than that. Basketball shouldn’t be like this. Where things get too technical. If the Cavs were playing better defense, Brandon would likely miss or not get a shot. Stop complaining over small details,

Even if the clock started at most .3 tenths of a second late the ball was out of his hands with like .3 tenths of second left.. If Scott is pissed he should of diagramed a better defensive set out of his timeout.. The Bucks got to keep winning these home games & we are going to make some noise in the east

I think coach byron scott has a point. if you look closely frame by frame the shot should not count coz jennings got the ball , squared up before the time started. the time started when jennings took off or jump to take the shot. i think the nba should take another look at it as come playoff time 1 win is enough to take you to the playoffs or take the home court as the lakers and clippers last year. lakers were 41-25 and clips were 40-26.. not saying that cavs will be in the playofffs this year but what if it was a team that is a playoff contender and this game cost them to miss the playoffs or the home court advantage.? i know its too early to talk about playoffs but it might happen again to any playoff bound team.